J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Intrusion bid by Pak Rangers, militants
Jammu, June 23
The BSF today foiled a major infiltration bid by Pakistan Rangers and militants from across the Panjatl post in the Golpattan subsector of Akhnoor.

No compromise on Kashmir: BJP
Jammu, June 23
The BJP will not allow any compromise on Kashmir during the ensuing Vajpayee-Musharraf summit as it was in favour of securing the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to India.

Talks must centre round Kashmir: Geelani
Srinagar, June 23
Former Chairman of the APHC , Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had hinted at his dissatisfaction over the content of Hurriyat’s letters to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf. The letter addressed to the two leaders yesterday had sought Hurriyat’s separate meetings with them during the forthcoming summit.

Sikh (L), Muslim (C) and Hindu (R) soldiers hold their religious scriptures while marching in white past an honour guard of new recruits who take their oath during their passing out ceremony in a garrison at Rangreth, Srinagar, on Saturday. — Reuters

Intrusion bid by Pak Rangers, militants
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 23
The BSF today foiled a major infiltration bid by Pakistan Rangers and militants from across the Panjatl post in the Golpattan subsector of Akhnoor.

According to a BSF spokesman, Indian troops spotted a group of Pakistan Rangers and militants with weapons, ammunition and explosive moving stealthily towards the Indian territory.

The BSF soldiers used devices to confirm the movement and after they had intruded into the Indian territory, they were asked to halt. As the guards found the group trying to storm the Indian post, they opened fire.

The intruders fled, leaving behind large quantities of ammunition and explosives. At dawn, the BSF surveyed the intrusion route and while it was on the job, three blasts took place in which sarkanda was burnt to ashes.

The patrol party found three mines planted on the spot where the intruders had been pinned down. The aim of planting the mines was to eliminate the BSF patrol. BSF field commanders got in touch with their counterparts at Pakistan’s Bharat check post and warned them of “dire” consequences if Pakistan Rangers and militants made any intrusion bid.

Elsewhere, the police seized large quantities of arms and ammunition, including assault rifles, live grenades and high grade explosive from the Ponichak area, 12 km west of Jammu, last evening.

No compromise on Kashmir: BJP
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 23
The BJP will not allow any compromise on Kashmir during the ensuing Vajpayee-Musharraf summit as it was in favour of securing the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to India.

This was stated by the BJP President, Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthi, while addressing a public rally here today. It was Mr Krishnamurthi’s first visit to the state after taking over the reigns of the BJP.

The BJP chief said Kashmir being an integral part of India “we cannot allow Pakistan to take even an inch of our territory in the state.” Since the rally was held to commemorate the martyrdom of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Mr Jana Krishnamurthi paid rich tributes to the late leader and said “if Kashmir is today an integral part of India it is because of the efforts and sacrifices of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.”

He made it clear that the proposed talks should rest on the future of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He said the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had invited Gen Pervez Musharraf as the Chief Executive of Pakistan, but the situation had changed with General Musharraf assuming the office of the President of Pakistan.

He said now that the dates for the talks had been decided “let the parleys proceed”, though “we are for the establishment of a democratic structure not only in Pakistan but also in other areas.”

Mr Krishnamurthi said there were many forces actively trying to “destabilise” India and Pakistan was on the top among them. He said Islamabad had always fixed its eyes on Jammu and Kashmir and to grab this border state it had fought three wars. For the past 11 years, it had been fighting a proxy war which had caused death and destruction in Jammu and Kashmir.

He made it clear that Pakistan’s desire to get Kashmir was “crying for the moon,” adding that Islamabad “ cannot see the fulfillment of this desire even in its dream.”

Referring to the demand for the restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP chief said such a demand was impossible to be conceded. He said there was no rationale behind this demand and those who raised this demand were simply trying to “divert the attention of the people from the real issues.”

He said there was discrimination against some people in the Jammu and Ladakh regions besides some pockets of the Kashmir valley. He suggested people to agitate against this discrimination so as to force the government to give a fair deal to the people of all three regions. He urged the Central Government to release an economic package for the Jammu and Ladakh regions so that the discriminated class of people could get avenues for betterment.

Replying to a reporter’s query, he said he was aware of the demand for the trifurcation of the state and others who opposed it. He said he would not make any comment as he would discuss the issue at the meeting of the working committee of the state unit of the BJP slated here for Sunday.

Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said the Central Government had increased the flow of funds to Jammu and Kashmir during the past two years, but the benefit of these increased financial allocations had not reached the common people as the state government had “misused” these funds.

He wanted the state government to improve its performance and concentrate on those projects which could help people to come out of the economic depression, electricity and water shortage.

Others who spoke at the rally included Mr O.P. Kohli, party in charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Vaid Vishnu Dutt, Mr Hans Raj Dogra, Chaudhary Piara Singh and others.

Talks must centre round Kashmir: Geelani
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 23
Former Chairman of the APHC , Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had hinted at his dissatisfaction over the content of Hurriyat’s letters to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf. The letter addressed to the two leaders yesterday had sought Hurriyat’s separate meetings with them during the forthcoming summit.

The contents of the letter were not perhaps discussed in the Hurriyat executive committee meeting held here on June 13, senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said at a press conference at his Peerbagh residence this afternoon.

The letter by the Hurriyat Chairman, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, is seen as a shift in the policy of the Hurriyat Conference constitution, which had been demanding tripartite talks to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Replying questions, Mr Geelani said he did not attend the Hurriyat’s executive committee meeting, which was attended by Qazi Abdullah, senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader. Mr Geelani evaded further queries over the content of the letters addressed by the Chairman, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat. He said there had been a unanimous decision on the approach of the APHC towards the forthcoming summit but added that the contents were not discussed.

“We want to convey to General Musharraf that while he is in India for the summit, the talks should be centred only around the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Positive steps should be taken in this regard and that should be the main purpose of the talks”, Mr Geelani said.

Mr Geelani alleged that on the one hand, India had invited Pakistan President for talks but on the other hand the excesses and atrocities on innocent Kashmir masses had continued unabated. He alleged that the government’s approach was “misleading” at the international level, where it had been given out that India was keen to resolve Kashmir issue.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader expressed concern over the recent statements of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, that Kashmir was an integral part of India.

“This is a historical fact that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory”, which he said, was to be resolved under the UN resolution by giving its people the right to self-determination. He reiterated his stand that the right to self-determination “ was the only solution and that would be “acceptable to the people of the whole state”.

UNI adds: When his attention was drawn towards the statement of United Nations Secretary-General during his visit to India and Pakistan, Mr Geelani said it was incorrect to attribute to Mr Annan the remark that UN resolutions were not valid now.

He said what Mr Anan had said was that until both the parties-India and Pakistan accepted the resolutions, they could not be implemented.

He alleged that it was India which had always created problems and hurdles in implementing the UN resolutions on Kashmir.

“The peace process was just to mislead the world”, he said and alleged that ground situation, particularly in remote areas, had worsened because of “atrocities” on innocent villagers.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir were in favour of peace with honour, which was to provide them an opportunity to decide their fate, he added.

5 killed as bus rolls down bridge
Our Correspondent

Kathua, June 23
Five persons were killed and 27 others injured when a luxury bus rolled down Tarnah bridge near Dayalachak and Chadwal Morh, Hiranaoar tehsil, on the Kathua-Jammu highway today.

According to the police, the bus was going to Delhi from Jammu. Three persons were killed on the spot and one died at the district hospital here. Another one succumbed to his injuries on way to GMC, Jammu. Three of the deceased have been identified as Shyam Lal Mehta (Jammu), Lalita Mehta (Jammu), and Sukur Kumar (Chandigarh).

A case has been registered.